The mediating role of self‐esteem in the relationship between hope and life satisfaction among university students during a global health crisis

Abstract Background and Aims The worldwide health emergency sparked by the COVID‐19 pandemic has deeply shaken educational environments, posing unprecedented challenges to university students’ well‐being. While individual links between self‐esteem, hope, and well‐being are established, their combined impacts during crises remain underexplored. Our study addresses this gap by investigating the interplay among hope, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction within the context of university students navigating the challenges posed by the pandemic. Methods Conducting an online cross‐sectional self‐administered survey during Hong Kong's third pandemic wave, we measured hope, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction using validated scales. Three hundred and fifteen university students (211 females; mean age = 22.08; SD = 2.74) participated. Results Through multiple regression and mediation analyses, our findings indicate that university students with elevated hope and self‐esteem scored higher on life satisfaction measures. Specifically, our analysis revealed that self‐esteem may serve as a partial mediator in the relationship between hope and life satisfaction, highlighting how heightened hope indirectly enhances life satisfaction by strengthening self‐esteem. Conclusion This study reveals intricate relationships among hope, self‐esteem, and life satisfaction in university students, particularly during external adversities like the COVID‐19 pandemic. The implications extend to mental health interventions, emphasizing the potential benefits of cultivating hope and self‐esteem to enhance life satisfaction among university students confronting formidable challenges.

The global outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic brought about substantial shifts in education, including the implementation of social distancing measures and the transition to online learning. 1This sudden change from traditional in-person classrooms to virtual platforms presented unique challenges for different populations, including young adults, educators, and families. 2For university students navigating this transition, the shift disrupted established routines, limited social interactions, and heightened reliance on self-regulated learning, presenting considerable challenges. 3Consequently, this shift has resulted in not only academic obstacles but also potential harm to their mental well-being, 4 posing a greater risk for mental health issues. 5arantine measures, in particular, have induced profound effects.Apart from fostering physical isolation, these restrictions have also imposed psychological seclusion. 6Prolonged periods of quarantine can result in adverse psychological effects, including the manifestation of symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress, feelings of confusion, and increased levels of anger.In addition, people who have undergone quarantine are more likely to experience exhaustion, a feeling of disconnection from others, anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbances, diminished focus, and indecisiveness, which can further deteriorate their overall psychological well-being. 7ng Kong is no exception, the implementation of societal lockdowns and strict quarantine measures has presented significant mental health challenges across various student demographics, including primary school children 8 and emerging adults in university. 2 The sudden suspension of face-to-face classes and the hasty shift to remote learning modalities caused by the pandemic has particularly impacted the quality of interactions among teachers and students, as well as among students themselves, affecting cognitive engagement and the process of knowledge acquisition and application. 2This situation is likely exacerbated for university students due to heightened academic expectations, pressures, and the demand for self-regulated learning. 9ese findings underscore the influences of global adversity on young adult undergraduates' learning and mental health conditions.
To counteract these negative impacts and safeguard well-being during such crises, it is essential to identify protective factors like hope and self-esteem.

| Hope and self-esteem as potential protective factors in young adults during adversity
Hope is conceptualized as a positive cognitive state represented by the formulation of plans and determination to achieve goals despite uncertainty regarding their success. 10Specifically, Snyder et al. 11 define hope as a cognitive construct involving two distinctive yet interrelated components: agency thinking (directed energy) and pathways thinking (plans to achieve goals).Both components are associated with subjective well-being, suggesting that hopeful young adults may maintain a stronger sense of fulfillment, even during challenging times, which enhances their positive sense of subjective well-being.
Similarly, self-esteem, the evaluative aspect of self-concept, 12 plays a pivotal role in psychological well-being.It can be further differentiated at the individual, collective, and relational levels.
Regardless of the level, young adults with higher self-esteem appeared to have better subjective well-being. 13,14These findings suggest that interventions aimed at promoting self-esteem and hope may serve as effective resilience-building strategies against psychological challenges during difficult periods.
Internationally, there have been some studies providing evidence of the importance of hope and self-esteem during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For instance, Flesia et al. 15 explored the role of hope on psychological distress related to COVID-19 in Pakistan, they found that higher levels of hope were associated with reduced levels of psychological distress.Azmi et al. 16 found that university students with high self-esteem develop lower chances of getting depressive symptoms by 17% during the COVID-19 pandemic.While these studies are exploring the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's mental well-being and happiness, 4,17 there is limited exploration into how protective factors might bolster life satisfaction, particularly among Asian young adults in university settings.Moreover, the combined influence of these factors during a large-scale crisis (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic), warrants further investigation.
1.2 | The protective role of hope and self-esteem: Insights from the Broaden-and-Build theory Barbara Fredrickson's Broaden-and-Build Theory 18 provides a compelling framework for understanding the role of positive emotions, such as hope, in nurturing psychological resilience and well-being among young adults.It is theorized that such emotions expand one's momentary thought-action repertoire, fostering the development of enduring personal resources, spanning physical, intellectual, social, and psychological domains.These resources function as a safeguard against the detrimental effects of adversity, bolstering young adults' capacity to handle stressful situations with greater ease.In line with this theory, hope, as one of the positive emotions, plays a significant role in coping with adversities, including the unprecedented stressors precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previous research suggests that hope is a protective factor against the development of psychopathology during stressful situations 19 and enhances subjective well-being by promoting a sense of control and efficacy. 20Furthermore, hope, specifically pathways thinkingdefined as an individual's perceived ability to discern pathways toward desired goals-has been recognized as a mediator of depressive symptoms in young adults who experience negative emotions. 21This echoes Fredrickson's assertion that hope can counteract the propensity of distressing events to constrict an individual's perspective and induce feelings of depression.Instead, hope can promote cognitive flexibility and innovative thinking.This, in turn, equips young adults with the capacity to formulate effective problem-solving strategies and maintain a more positive outlook, even when confronted with daunting challenges. 22lf-esteem, or positive self-evaluations, may also play a crucial role in constructing psychological resilience.It shapes a positive self-concept, serving as a protective factor against mental health issues. 23According to Orth et al., 24 people with higher self-esteem are less likely to experience stress and tend to use more effective coping strategies when faced with challenging situations.This supports the argument of the Broaden-and-Build Theory, 18 which suggests that positive emotions and thoughts, such as self-esteem, can broaden an individual's perspective and enhance their resilience.The Adolescent Resilience Model 25 has also demonstrated that self-esteem can serve as a buffer and reduce the negative effects of life's hardships.Based on the existing literature, it appears that maintaining good levels of self-esteem and hope can be vital in promoting the well-being of young adult undergraduates, particularly in unfavorable circumstances.
The previous section has indicated that self-esteem and hope could be inter-related.However, as proposed by Snyder's Hope Theory, 26 people will focus on the goal-pursuit process, when they can achieve the goals, emotions and esteem could be developed.For example, Cheavens et al. 27 revealed that hope therapy could promote life meaning and selfesteem as well as reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms.

| Current study
Despite the increasing amount of research highlighting the possible influence of hope and self-esteem on psychological well-being, there is still limited knowledge regarding the interplay of these factors, especially in terms of life satisfaction among young adults.This gap is especially voiced in the context of external adversities such as the COVID-19 pandemic.Gaining a better understanding of the interactions between these factors could yield significant insights for enhancing young adult undergraduates' well-being during challenging times.
In response to this gap in the literature, the present study sought to investigate the association between hope, self-esteem, and life satisfaction among a sample of young adult university students.
Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of the Broaden-and-Build Theory, Hope Theory, and the Adolescent Resilience Model, we hypothesized a positive relationship between life satisfaction, hope, and self-esteem.Further, we posited that self-esteem may act as a mediator in the link between hope and life satisfaction, thereby providing a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay among these variables and their impact on the mental well-being of young adults.

| Study design
This study adopted a cross-sectional design and utilized an online self-administered questionnaire for data collection during Hong Kong's third pandemic wave (February to July 2021).

| Participants and procedures
Participants in this study were recruited using an opportunity sampling approach in Hong Kong.A total of 315 Chinese young adult undergraduates, with a mean age of 22.08 years (SD = 2.74), constituted the final sample.The human research ethics committee at the university granted ethical approval for this study, ensuring its compliance with the established ethical guidelines and protocols.
Recruitment was conducted through the university's mass e-mail system, with over 500 e-mails sent to potential participants.As we sent invitations via the internal email system, the inclusion criteria were full-time university students, while the exclusion criteria were those who were not studying at the university and those who had difficulties in reading and comprehension.Of those contacted, 315 individuals completed the questionnaires.Before participation, all participants acquired informed consent online, emphasizing the voluntary nature of their commitment.The survey was administered using the Qualtrics platform, the participants could withdraw at any stage if they felt uncomfortable.
To ensure the integrity and confidentiality of the data, young adult undergraduates were requested to provide personal identifiers, such as their study major and student number.However, these identifiers were subsequently removed during the data analysis phase to maintain data anonymization.

| Measures
The study questionnaire involved three validated scales in measuring key psychological attributes.Apart from these, data regarding personal and socio-demographic details were collected.These details included age, sex, personal monthly income, and expenditure.Personal monthly income was categorized into two brackets for analysis: "1" represented a monthly income ranging from "HK$0 to HK $5,999," and "2" denoted a monthly income of "more than HK $6,000."A 5-point Likert scale was used to evaluate financial satisfaction (i.e., perceived sufficiency of personal expenditure), with 1 representing "very insufficient" and 5 suggesting "very sufficient." This measure aimed to capture participants' subjective assessment of their financial adequacy in relation to their expenditures. 28,29e Dispositional Hope Scale (DHS) 30 was employed to gauge the level of hope in this study.The scale consisted of 12 items, including four filler items.The total score was obtained by summing the eight remaining items, which ranged from 8 to 64, and calculating the average.Higher scores indicated more significant levels of hope.
According to this study, the DHS is highly reliable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.90).
Regarding self-esteem, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) was employed in this study.The scale consisted of 10 items developed by Rosenberg. 31The total scores, ranging from 1 to 4, were computed by averaging the responses, with higher scores reflecting greater levels of self-esteem.The RSE used in our study was reliable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86).
The participants' life satisfaction was assessed using Diener et al.'s 32 Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).The SWLS is comprised of a set of five items designed to measure individuals' overall satisfaction with their lives.Scores on the SWLS range from 7 to 35, with higher scores indicating higher levels of life satisfaction.In this study, the average scores on the SWLS were analyzed, and the scale demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86).

| Data analyses
The SPSS version 25.0 was utilized for data analysis.A descriptive analysis was conducted, followed by correlational analyses to explore the relationship between different variables.After that, a multiple regression analysis was performed to test the influence of selfesteem on the association between hope and life satisfaction.For this purpose, the Hayes 33 PROCESS Macro -Model 4 was utilized, with hope being the exogenous variable, self-esteem as the mediator, and SWLS as the endogenous variable.Finally, to examine the indirect effects, a bias-corrected bootstrapping method was employed, which involved generating 10,000 bootstrap samples and computing each effect's 95% confidence interval to account for possible biases.

| Descriptive statistics
Our study encompassed 315 young adults, with an average age of 22.08 years and a standard deviation of 2.74.About two-thirds of these individuals were female.The bulk of participants (77.1%) reported monthly earnings below HK$6000 (approximately US$750), yet they remained optimistic about their financial management capabilities (Mean = 3.16, SD = 0.99).For a detailed analysis of our sample's characteristics, please see Table 1.

| Correlational analyses
Table 2 provides a summary of the correlational analyses conducted between life satisfaction, as measured by the SWLS, and selected variables under study.Within the socio-demographic category, the SWLS demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with expenditure (r = 0.31, p < 0.001).Additionally, the study uncovered positive and statistically significant correlations between SWLS and the psychological constructs of hope and self-esteem (ps < 0.001), highlighting strong links between these factors and overall life satisfaction.

| Multiple regression analyses
The regression analysis results, presented in Table 3, indicated that expenditure (β = 0.23, p < 0.001), hope (β = 0.39, p < 0.001), and self-esteem (β = 0.67, p < 0.001) were significantly and positively associated with life satisfaction.These three factors together accounted for 43.3% of the variance in life satisfaction scores.Given the significance of financial satisfaction, we included it as a covariate in the following mediation analysis.

| Mediation analyses
Upon controlling for covariates, a mediation analysis was conducted to explore the extent to which self-esteem mediates the association between hope and life satisfaction among Chinese young adults.The overall regression model assessing the influence of hope on life satisfaction yielded significant results [F(2, 312) = 95.57,p < 0.001], demonstrating a robust effect size (f 2 = 0.35). 34 depicted in Figure 1, the empirical findings indicate that hope exerts a direct impact on both self-esteem (β = 0.20, p < 0.001) and life satisfaction (β = 0.38, p < 0.001).Furthermore, a positive association between self-esteem and life satisfaction (β = 0.66, p < 0.001) was observed.
T A B L E 1 Descriptive statistics.To be more specific, the analysis uncovered a significant indirect effect of hope on life satisfaction mediated through self-esteem (c' = 0.13, p < 0.001).Given the substantial direct effect of hope on life satisfaction, it is posited that self-esteem serves as a partial mediator in the nexus between hope and life satisfaction.This mediating dynamic is elaborately illustrated in Figure 1.

| DISCUSSION
In In line with existing literature on the mental well-being of young adults, our research conducted with Chinese university students demonstrates a moderate positive association between hope, selfesteem, and life satisfaction. 35Our findings indicate that higher-hope individuals appear to view situations more positively, which may impact their overall well-being. 36Simultaneously, those with elevated self-esteem may perceive themselves more favorably, a perspective that could manifest in heightened life satisfaction scores.These results underscore the significant role of these attributes in mitigating adverse mental health outcomes.
Furthermore, our multiple regression analysis underscores the substantial influence of self-esteem on protecting young people's life satisfaction, especially during the time of global health crisis.These results reinforce previous research that identifies self-esteem as a crucial predictor of subjective well-being for this group. 37 particular importance, our study identifies self-esteem as a key factor that partially mediates the relationship between hope and life satisfaction, underscoring its pivotal role in bolstering young adults' well-being during pandemics.In essence, hopeful undergraduate students possess the capacity to chart pathways and muster determination to pursue goals even amidst adverse circumstances.Drawing upon the Broaden-and-Build Theory, the hopeful outlook of young adults may not only foster a sense of well-being but also broaden their scope of attention, prompting them to identify and pursue positive life opportunities. 18This optimistic mindset may further cultivate the perception of having sufficient resources, subsequently enhancing life satisfaction.In contrast, individuals with low self-esteem may be more susceptible to negative self-evaluations, especially when faced with critical feedback. 38Additionally, our study supports Haase's 25 Adolescent Resilience Model, highlighting the role of high self-esteem in facilitating social adaptation among students and serving as a protective factor against the impact of negative feedback on their self-esteem.
In short, our study illustrates the reinforcing dynamic among hope, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in young adults.On one hand, we discovered that young adults who possess a high degree of hope often feel positive emotions and improve their life satisfaction via positive reactions to their surroundings.The potential benefits are far-reaching, enabling young adults to manage stress effectively, enhance life satisfaction, and build resilience necessary for overcoming current and future adversities.By weaving these insights into the fabric of higher education, we empower young adults not only to survive challenging times but also to flourish with skills and attitudes that will serve them well beyond the crisis.This dual focus on hope and self-esteem can help mitigate the adverse effects of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and promote a more robust sense of well-being among this vulnerable population.

| Limitations and future directions
Despite its contributions, it is essential to acknowledge some limitations of our study.First, our sample was drawn from one university, which may potentially limit the generalizability of findings.Second, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgency to understand its impact on respondents, we were unable to conduct a power analysis to determine an ideal sample size.We aimed to recruit as many participants as possible, but a larger sample size was not guaranteed.
Third, our participants were all Chinese university students.Previous research suggests that the roles of hope and self-esteem may vary among different racial groups. 41Therefore, cultural influences may not be fully accounted for.
the face of the ongoing global crisis precipitated by COVID-19, our study offers invaluable insights into the mental health of young adult university students, a population particularly susceptible to the psychosocial effects of the pandemic.This study contributes to the existing literature by investigating the interplay among the variables of interest, specifically highlighting the mediating mechanism of self-esteem in connecting hope and life satisfaction among Chinese young adult undergraduates who are confronted with difficult circumstances.

Future research should aimF I G U R 1
to include a more diverse set of cultural and ethnic groups and involve multiple universities to enhance representativeness.Understanding the generalized and crosscultural interplay of hope, self-esteem, and life satisfaction could offer invaluable insights into young adults' resilience amidst global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.By addressing these challenges, we can develop robust and effective mental health strategies that safeguard and enhance young adults' mental well-being.5 | CONCLUSIONThis investigation reveals the critical intermediary role that selfesteem serves in the relationship between hope and life satisfaction, with an emphasis on Chinese university students during the pandemic and the shifting dynamics of education.This study underscores the necessity for the development and implementation of educational and mental health interventions aimed at promoting hope and self-esteem.Such initiatives are essential for enhancing students' resilience, improving their ability to cope, and increasing their overall satisfaction with life.Future research is urged to explore these intricate relationships in diverse cultural and socioeconomic contexts, providing further insights to inform comprehensive mental health interventions.Investing in these strategies will not only assist young adults in navigating current adversities but also equip them to thrive in a post-pandemic world.AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS Stephen Cheong Yu Chan: Conceptualization; data curation; investigation; methodology; project administration; formal analysis; writing-original draft; writing-review & editing.Qi Lu Huang: Conceptualization; data curation; investigation; methodology; project administration; formal analysis; writing-original draft; writingreview & editing.All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.Qi Lu Huang and Stephen Cheong Yu Chan had full access to all of the data in this study and takes complete responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.Results of analysis testing for self-esteem as a mediator in the association between hope and life satisfaction in Chinese undergraduates.All numbers represent non-standardized regression coefficients and their standard errors.N = 315.*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001.
Correction matrix among all measures with Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).Multiple linear regression results for testing hope and self-esteem in relation to life satisfaction.